I've been looking over some past logs and archives. Typically the scoolie stripers show around early April points south, and early May points north of Boston. Being so eager to fish this year, it looks like this is the year to make my return to spring trouting with the 5 wt. Anyone toss a 5 wt. floating line after tossing lots of heavy 9 or 10 wt. salt? It's like whipping a thread with an antenna.I'll have to dig up some white/chrtse Hornbergs and maybe some olive deer hairs. At one spot where I fish for brookies, the mornings often drop below 32 degrees in April. Tough tying knots. I better find my wool gloves.
I wonder how the brookies will like my 6" yak deceivers?

Tod could comment on the Labrador brookies - they eat mouse flies twice the size of bunny flies. That's another fishery I hope to try one of these days.

I agree, the stripers show (without real consistency) from Nobska to Chatham in April. By the end of the month they are a sure thing on the sound and by mid-May they are on the bayside flats thick. The largest flats fish of the year are in shallow water at this time, although there are more in the fall.

I'm so eager I tried the Parker this weekend with a five weight and a sink tip. It turned out to be a session of casting practice but I needed it. On the North Shore it's rare to see Schoolies before the end of April. Brookies seem to be a North Shore tradition in early April, a friend's father showed us some good spots as kids for spring fishing in Byfield and Newbury.

Don't forget the lowly Shad though, I can remember catching them in March from PI by the boat docks and to the right of the PI jetty in the wash. They're a good fight on a five weight.